Manufacture of picker stems for cotton harvesters



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

G. N. TODD. MANUFAGTURE-OP PIGKER STBMS FOR COTTON HARVBSTBRS. N0.439,794. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet 2.

G. N. TODD. MANUFACTURE OF PIGKER STBMS FOR COTTON HARVESTBR-S. No.439,794.

Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

weave/a (NC News PETERS 120., morwuwm, WASHINGTON, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE N. TODD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TODD COTTONI'IARVESTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF PlCKER-S TEMS FOR COTTON-HARVESTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,794, dated November4, 1890.

Application filed September 14, 1887. Serial No. 249,628- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. TODD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of MakingPicker-Steins for Cotton-Harvesters, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in the method for makingpicker-stems for cotton-harvesters, and has for its prime object amethod for makinga picker-stem of a new and novel construction, wherebythe efficieney of the stem as a picking device is increased and the costof manufacture thereof decreased.

Another object is to produce a picker-stem by stamping or otherwiseforming a blank of sheet metal, incorporating both the teeth and body ofthe stem and afterward shaping said teeth and body so as to form thepicker-stem or cylinder.

I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of a form or blankof the preferred construction, from which the picker-stem is formed;Fig. 2, a side view illustrating a complete pickerstem; Fig. 3, an endview thereof. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of a modifiedconstruction. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views showing a cleaner deviceconstructed substantially in the same manner.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the figures ofthe drawings.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates a blank ofsheet metal, stamped or otherwise formed, having the side edges thereofcut so as to form rows of triangular-shaped teeth B, the teeth on oneside of the blank lying opposite the space between the teeth on theother side of the blank in'such a manner that when the teeth are bent orotherwise formed upon suitable mandrels, so as to produce a completepickerstein, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the points of the teeth upon oneside will lie in the space between the teeth on the opposite side,thereby being guarded against the lodgment thereunder of stems ortwigs," leaves, and other non-fibrous substances. The body of the blankwhen the stems are completed passes centrally through said stems,thereby forming a strengtheningsupport running the entire length of thestem, the body of the teeth themselves constituting the cylindricalportion of the stem. The wedge-shaped form of the teeth and openingsmaterially aids in the gathering of the cotton. As will be seen from thedrawings, only two sets or series of teeth can be formed on such apicker-stem one on each side thereof; but I have found them sufficientto accomplish the desired object; but if more teeth-be desired then theform of blank shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 may be used, in which twoblanks C, bent at substantially a right angle, have teeth formed oneither edge thereof, and are united together at the right-angled cornersthereof. Between the radially-projecting teeth of this blank I insertfour longitudinal filling-blocks D, triangular on their inner faces, butcurved -on their outer faces, so that when put together they form acylinder between which the toothed ends of the blank project, afterwhich by any suitable means the points of the tooth E are bent down oversaid blocks, so as to conform to the general cylindrical contour of thepicker-stem. It is obvious that any number or series of teeth andfilling blocks might be employed in the construction of such a stem.

In the formation of a cleaner device sub stantially the same process iscarried out, namely: The blank is first stamped or otherwise struck outof sheet metal and the teeth.

afterward bent or formed upon the main body of the blank, as shown inFigs. 7 and 8, so that the cleaner as a whole has a disk-likeappearance, the teeth alone being bent or shaped, while the body of theblank retains substantially its original shape.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

The herein-described method for producing a picker-stem, the sameconsisting in first stamping a blank out of sheet metal, having a seriesof teeth formed on the side edges thereof, and then bending said teetharound the body of the blank in reverse direction to each other, so asto form a cylindrical body, substantially as described.

GEORGE N. TODD.

Witnesses:

W. W. ELLIOTT, WILL R. OMoHUNDRo.

